1. Czech Republic Progress in establishing national system for education and training remedial capacity
Regional Workshop
IAEA RER 9136
Yerevan
Marcela Bercikova
State Office for Nuclear Safety
Radon Program Department
Czech Republic

2. 1.1.2017 New Atomic legislation was valid
263/2016 coll. Atomic act
422/2016 coll. Decree about Radiation protection
362/2016 coll. Decree about Condition for grant of radon remedy (more next presentation)
The legislations implemented EU directives
Prevention – measuring of radon gas of soil before make project of new building
Reference level for indoor radon concentration in all buildings Bq/m-3
If the indoor air activity concentration of radon in a schools or school facilities or buildings used for the provision of social or health services referred exceeds the reference level, the owner of the building shall take measures to reduce the exposure to a level as low as reasonably achievable
Reference level for gamma dose in all buildings 1 µSv/h
Annual average radon activity concentration is 3000 Bq/m-3
the level of annual average radon activity concentration in the air which, when exceeded, owners of buildings with residential rooms or rooms intended to be occupied by persons shall take measures reducing the level of exposure.
Restriction and impose a fine

3. Average indoor radon concentration - 119 Bq.m-3
Radon concentration over 400 Bq.m-3 - in 2 % existing flats ( flats)
in 2 % new flats
approx flats have been found yet
Radon concentration over 1000 Bq.m-3 - in 0.2 % existing flats (6 000 flats)
in 0.7 % new flats
approx flats have been found yet
Year
Number
of flats measured
Number of flats where were found volume activity of radon (Bq/m3)
> 400
> 1000
2010
2313
222 33
2011
1303
103 20
2012
228 34 5
2013
245 40 2
2014
1221
128 18
2015
1116
135
2016
815 77 11
School year
Number of building measured
Number of buildings where were found volume activity of radon (Bq/m3)
> 400
> 1000
2011/2012
697 76 10
2012/2013
540
110 18
2013/2014
320 38 3
2014/2015
389 35
2015/2016
186 64 16

4. Progress in radon prevention and education
We prepared new text for Technical standards – next year will be in approval process. The expert included new knowledge of radon
ČSN Protection of buildings against radon from the soil.
ČSN Protection of buildings against radon and gamma radiation from
building materials
New recommendation about quality of measuring radon indoor and from soil
New system of comparative of measurement:
Radon index of land
Gama dose in building
This system is free for company with SONS license
New system education for building projects.
We are cooperation with CZECH CHAMBER OF AUTHORIZED ENGINEERS AND TECHIQUES IN THE CONSTRUCTION
We organize lecture about radon for those interested / school, government…

5. 2017 new website about radon www.radonprogram.cz
Ten Commandments for builder
New website publication for people how built new house without Radon

6. 3000 factory-made family houses type „Start“ from slag concrete panels
Houses were built of slag blocks or slag concrete panels with a high content of natural radionuclides that might be a source of increased volume activity of radon (VAR) and gamma dose rate inside houses (call START )
built and distributed all over the country (mostly around Prague), discovered 1987
3000 factory-made family houses type „Start“ from slag concrete panels
Ra-226 mass activity 1-10 kBq/kg
the indoor gamma dose rates Sv/h
After 1989
Public/political awareness and the experiences from the past lead to strict regulation of natural radioactivity
The first legislative step in of natural radioactivity
Decree (Ministry of Health) No. 76/1991 Coll. (only 1 page)
Building requirement
The limit value 226Ra was set to 120 Bq/kg (building material)
Indoor radon has to be ≤ 200 Bq/m3 (new houses, reconstruction - annual average)
Indoor radon has to be ≤ 400 Bq/m3 (annual average)
Indoor gamma ≤ 2 µSv/h

7. In 1991 the government of CR has agreed remedial measures
buy up these houses
secured funding by massive/generous subsidy
the subsidy system takes up to now in Radon program
The regulator body around 1996 thought the problem is over … “we provided information, we bought the problems houses, we grand subsidies for remedy”.
After the 20 years grew up new generation, the houses are on the estate market, the problem is here again.
The information has been often forgotten. Data about measuring lost or did not present.

8. Real situation / legal dispute
Two owners of dwellings sold the family house
They had! results from with conclusion, the house is good for life. Families lived there all the time (more then 20 years)
Both owners didn’t provide information about measuring and building material to buyers
New owners discovered from old documentation and during reconstruction specification about the building material.
Real situation / legal dispute
Two owners of dwellings sold the family house
They had! results from with conclusion, the house is good for life. Families lived there all the time (more then 20 years)
Both owners didn’t provide information about measuring and building material to buyers
New owners discovered from old documentation and during reconstruction specification about the building material
New measuring of radon and gamma dose
The gamma dose was lower then reference level but higher then in houses built from a “normal building material”
Radon was a bit higher then reference level

9. The new owners was afraid about the risk from radiation and
one of them canceled contract about buying of the house (but the seller didn’t accept it)
the other buyer demanded lower price but more then the seller want to accept
The both of „new owners“ enforced „action for damages“ via court
The judicial proceedings took 4 years (from the first instance up to Supreme court)
Now we have the two final judgment ( one is from Constitutional court)
Judges considered the radon and gamma radiation as a hidden defect of these buildings
The decision of the court is precedent in this sense

10. Why? The both explanation of judicial was generally the same
Everyone has the right to decide where he will live and which environmental risk he will accept
Yes, Czech Republic has the reference level 300 Bq/m3 for radon and 1µSv/h for gamma dose
But everyone must have the choice to make decision which level is acceptable for him (50, 200, 500….)
Recommendation of the State Office for Nuclear Safety for the process of sale and purchase of houses

11. Based on the described case the State Office for Nuclear Safety therefore urgently recommends to sellers to take into account the issues of radon and gamma dose rate in purchase contracts in general and not only in connection with the START-type houses.
Each seller should always inform the buyer about results of measurement of VAR, gamma dose rate (if available) and characteristics of the house with regard to the building materials to avoid potential claims of a hidden defect after the real estate is sold.
Each buyer should in his own interest inquire and get information about values of VAR and gamma dose rate in the offered real estate. Based on the measurement results the buyer may decide which VAR and gamma dose rate values are acceptable with regard to probability of negative health impacts.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that there are no established limits for the purposes of regulation of radon exposure in houses and the legislation only defines the so-called reference levels (for VAR the reference value is 300 Bq/m3 and for gamma dose rate it is 1 Sv/h) while their meaning and practical application may not be always completely understood, particularly by the general public. In simple words, if the values set by the legislation are observed the exposure levels are socially acceptable and safe.

12. Thank you for your attention